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Brandon University Job Evaluation System

for positions within Manitoba Government and General Employee’s
Union (MGEU) And Exempt Managers and Professional
Officers (MPO) and
Excluded Support Staff (ESS)

INDEX

Introduction

Documentation Relating to the Job Evaluation Procedures

The Job Evaluation Procedure

- The Job Evaluation Committee - Composition and Role
- Initiating a Job Description Evaluation
- Appeals

The Job Evaluation System

- The Job Evaluation System Summary
- Factors
- Organizational Charts
- Completing the Job Description Questionnaire
- Authorizations and Timelines
- Master Standards

Job Description Questionnaire

Writing the Job Description

- Getting Down to Basics
- Glossary of Job Description Terms

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INTRODUCTION

The Brandon University Job Evaluation System, which is used to evaluate and classify positions
in the Manitoba Government & General Employees’ Union (MGEU) (with the exception of Food
Service positions) and Exempt MPO and ESS staff, was first adopted in 1993 for Exempt staff
positions. The system was then reviewed with MGEU and adopted in 1995 for that group. After
having worked with the system for a few years, the University and MGEU began discussions on
ways the system could be improved, both in structure and application. These discussions have
led to revisions of the process.

The Job Evaluation System is a point rating system that, through formal and systematic
analysis, provides equity in the value of each job in the employee group relative to other jobs at
the University. The system attempts to relate the amount of an employee’s pay to the
contribution made by his/her job to the effectiveness of the organization.

Job evaluation begins with the analysis of work to determine its characteristics and
requirements. A description of the duties and responsibilities is then written and the duties and
responsibilities are evaluated against the selected evaluation method. Effectively performed,
job evaluation simplifies pay structure decisions and makes them more rational. It makes job
comparisons a more efficient operation.

The job classification/re-classification process is discussed in Article 42 of the Brandon

University Collective Agreement with MGEU and in the Reclassification Procedures section of
the Exempt Staff Handbook.

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DOCUMENTATION RELATING TO THE JOB EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Positions are evaluated on the basis of job content. The position itself is, therefore, the focus of
the evaluation and the incumbent and any of his/her specific qualifications or any specific salary
level or any performance assessment of the incumbent is ignored in the evaluation process.

A job description questionnaire has been developed to facilitate the evaluation process by
focusing on aspects of job content that are involved in the Job Evaluation System. It is crucial
that the importance of a complete and accurate job description questionnaire be recognized and
that those who are involved in writing them complete the job description questionnaires as
meticulously as possible.

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THE JOB EVALUATION PROCEDURE

The Job Evaluation Committee - Composition and Role

The MGEU Job Evaluation Committee is composed of five (5) people - the Director, Human
Resources, who serves as Chair and a full participating member of the committee, and four
other employees appointed by the University. The Exempt Staff Evaluation Committee is
composed of three people - the Director, Human Resources, who serves as Chair and a full
participating member of the committee, and two members from the exempt staff groups.
(Alternates are also appointed to the Exempt Staff Evaluation Committee to serve in the
following circumstances.) Committee members may not participate in the evaluation of their own
position or in the evaluation of a position that they supervise or where they are in conflict of
interest.

Each member of the Committee participates in the evaluation of the position and in arriving at
the appropriate point rating of each of the factors and of the position. Final decisions are
reached by consensus, which means that all members of the Committee must be able to
accept the decision.

The meetings of the Job Evaluation Committees are closed and all records of the meetings and
associated notes are confidential to the committee and the Vice-President (Administration &
Finance), and, in the case of a grievance, to the required MGEU officials. Any questions or
concerns are to be directed to the Director, Human Resources.

Initiating a Job Description Evaluation

A Job Description Evaluation can be initiated by the employee (after completing the
probationary period) or the employer when there is a view that the job description or job
requirements may have changed significantly since the last evaluation, otherwise no more often
than once every twelve (12) months. This will typically happen over an extended period of time,
through specific changes within the requirements of a unit or when an incumbent leaves and
prior to the recruitment of a replacement.

When an MGEU member wishes to apply for reclassification, she/he must include a written
statement indicating why she/he is requesting a re-evaluation of the classification.

There will be times when the requirements of a job change for a short and specific period of
time. While it is recognized that very temporary reassignments of duties, such as during
vacation, are expected within existing classifications, substantive changes for substantial
periods of time should be evaluated to ensure that employees are properly compensated for
duties and responsibilities assigned. In this case, the employee or employer may initiate a job
evaluation request and should specify the temporary nature of the requirements. Any resultant
reclassification will be applied for the affected period only. At the end of the temporary
assignment, the individual concerned will revert to his/her regular position and classification.

Appeals

Employees who have initiated an evaluation request, and who wish to appeal the decision, may
do so by indicating their intention to the Director, Human Resources, within two weeks of
receiving the result of the first evaluation. The request for appeal should be provided in writing.

The composition of the appeal committee for MGEU positions is the Classification Review
Committee (CRC), which is composed of the Vice-President (Administration & Finance), the
President of MGEU Local 135 and a third party, who shall serve as the chair of the committee,
selected from within the employees of Brandon University by the Vice-President (Administration
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& Finance) and the President of MGEU Local 135. The composition of the appeal committee for
Exempt positions is the Exempt Staff Evaluation Committee plus the Vice-President
(Administration & Finance).

If the MGEU member is dissatisfied with the decision of the CRC, she/he may ask their Union to
take the matter to arbitration, as discussed in the collective agreement. The decision of the
appeal committee, in the case of exempt employees, is final.

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THE JOB EVALUATION SYSTEM

Point rating job evaluation is one method of determining the relative value of jobs. It is
particularly suited to jobs consisting of a variety of tasks.

A point rating plan defines a number of factors, which are common to the jobs being evaluated
(job difficulty, accountability, job knowledge, supervision given, contacts and working
conditions). Each factor is divided into two elements (i.e. job difficulty is divided into complexity
and judgement elements). The plan then provides progressive degrees of definition within each
element and allocates a number of points to each degree. The combined factors do not
necessarily describe every aspect of a job. They may deal only with those characteristics that
are useful in determining a job’s relative value within the University.

In order to evaluate a job, information about the factors that determine the value of the job must
be gathered. This is done through the completion of the Job Description Questionnaire. In
order to ensure equal treatment for each position being evaluated and to ensure concise
information, it is imperative that each questionnaire be completed using the prescribed form
only, using ten (10) point Arial font, and conforming to the space size provided for each
question. Job descriptions provided in any other format will be returned for revision.

The questionnaire reflects the major duties and responsibilities of the job. It is not intended to
represent a detailed working procedure or a list of infrequent or miscellaneous duties
occasionally assigned to the job. Duties and responsibilities must be complete and
grouped into categories that comprise not less than 10% of the job. The Job Evaluation
System does not have the ability to evaluate duties or responsibilities that represent only a
relatively small part of the job. Only when the smaller duties are grouped and described with
other similar duties can the system determine the value.

The Evaluation Committee determines the total point value of the job by reviewing the
questionnaire and the appropriate organizational chart, assigning point values to the factors and
totaling those point values. The total point values fall within ranges, which represent
classifications (i.e. 100-200 might be A, 201-300 B, and so forth). Jobs within a particular
classification might bear little resemblance to one another and might have different ratings for
particular factors because of the classification point range. For this reason, there are no
standard specifications for each classification and, consequently, the system allows a wide
variety of jobs to be valued against each other throughout the University.

Based on the classification, the job's rate of pay is determined. The salary range assigned to
each classification (point range) is determined through collective bargaining in the case of
MGEU, and assigned by the Board of Governors in the case of MPO and ESS positions.

The Evaluation Committee may use internal relevant jobs to verify results and assist in the final
evaluation process. These provide comparisons throughout the University for the job being
evaluated.

Although the System is being used only to evaluate the MGEU, MPO and ESS positions, the full
scope of the rating matrices could accommodate every administrative position within the
University from entry level positions to the President.

The Job Evaluation System Summary

Factors

1) Job Difficulty

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This factor is used to measure the difficulty of the job in terms of the complexity of the work and
the amount of independent action, initiative and creativity necessary to make decisions and
judgements. The elements evaluated are complexity and judgment. This factor is worth 25% of
the total value.

2) Accountability

This factor is used to measure the responsibility for results and the magnitude of those results.
The magnitude of the impact is measured against the achievement of the entire University’s
objectives, not the objectives of the work unit or department. It considers the nature of
commitments made, reversibility or impact of decisions or actions in the event of error, and the
availability of guidance and direction. The elements evaluated are impact of actions and
guidance received. This factor is worth 20% of the total value.

3) Job Knowledge

This factor is used to measure the education and experience required to undertake the duties
and responsibilities of the job. It is intended to represent knowledge that is acquired through
independent study, formal education, professional/technical courses and the practical
experience gained on other related jobs in this or other organizations. The job knowledge factor
is the basic entrance qualification required for the job. University master standards have
been determined for this factor and each position has been assigned a rating from within
those master standards. The elements evaluated are education and experience. This factor
is worth 20% of the total value.

4) Supervision Given

This factor measures the degree of responsibility for supervising (formal and informal) and
managing employees. It includes the nature of supervision given, the level of those supervised,
and the size of the group or groups supervised. University master standards have been
determined for this factor and each position has been assigned a rating from within
those master standards. The elements evaluated are nature of supervision and level of
positions supervised. This factor is worth 15% of the total value.

5) Contacts

This factor measures the requirement for exchanging information, providing explanations,
influencing actions or reaching agreement with others in either oral or written format. It
considers the reason for the contact, the level of person contacted and the requirement for
exercising tact, self-control, diplomacy and persuasiveness in oral or written communication.
Only those contacts that occupy a significant portion of time and are a regular and integral part
of the job will be taken into consideration. The elements evaluated are purpose of contacts and
level of person contacted. This factor is worth 10% of the total value.

6) Working conditions

University master standards have been determined for this factor and each position has
been assigned a rating from within those master standards.

a) Work Environment

This factor is used to measure job conditions that are considered disagreeable or
unpleasant and the frequency of exposure to such conditions. It considers excessive
travel and absence from home, unpleasant work surroundings such as noise, dirt,
exposure to the elements or potentially hazardous conditions associated with the job.
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Only those job conditions that are present for a significant portion of time and are a
regular and integral part of the job will be taken into consideration. The elements
evaluated are work environment and prevalence.

b) Physical Effort

This factor is used to measure job conditions that require different degrees of physical
effort and the frequency of those requirements. It considers the amount and degree of
physical exertion associated with the job. Only those job conditions that are present for a
significant portion of time and are a regular and integral part of the job will be taken into
consideration. The elements evaluated are physical effort and prevalence.

c) Visual Strain

This factor is used to measure job conditions that require different degrees of visual
strain and the frequency of those requirements. It considers the amount and degree of
visual strain associated with the job. Only those job conditions that are present for a
significant portion of time and are a regular and integral part of the job will be taken into
consideration. The elements evaluated are visual strain and prevalence. University
standards have been determined for these factors.

This factor, in total, is worth 10% of the total value.

Organizational Charts

A standard set of dated organizational charts, comprised of every administrative support

position within the University, will be available to the Job Evaluation Committees for purposes of
understanding the relative positioning of each job in the University in relation to supervisors,
area heads, subordinates and other similar positions in the University. The chart is updated as
necessary from time to time and is available in Human Resources to any employee to assist
with the job description questionnaire.

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Completing the Job Description Questionnaire

The following notes will assist you in completing the job description questionnaire. Before
beginning to complete the questionnaire, it is important to read the information in the
section “Writing the Job Description” about getting organized, gather the relevant data,
and express the duties and responsibilities in an appropriate manner.

I JOB SUMMARY

This is a brief and very broad statement that provides insight into the reason for the
position’s existence or for its establishment. It describes why the job exists in the first
place, and what role it plays in the overall scheme of things. This section will normally
be completed after having completed the rest of the questionnaire and should be
approximately two sentences or 30 words.

II DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This is a point-by-point outline of the main areas of activity for which the position is
responsible and describes the various things the position is supposed to do. List the
most important responsibilities and those requiring the majority of your time first and
continue in descending order of priority. Although it is recognized that every job has
many complexities, it is imperative that responsibilities that take less than 10% of your
time be grouped and summarized (consider that a work year is approximately 1650
hours excluding vacation for those with a 35 hour workweek).

Then approximate the percentage of time you spend on that duty or group of duties and
indicate that in the appropriate column.

III COMMUNICATION

Describe who, and reasons for, the contacts that are a normal part of your duties.
Contacts may be verbal or written. Internal contacts are those within the University,
including students. Indicate the frequency of the contacts on a regular basis. Daily
means nearly every day. Infrequent may be daily for one week twice in the year.

IV JOB DIFFICULTY

This section provides information about the difficulty of the job in terms of complexity and
judgement. Be sure to indicate the types of decisions and judgements that you are
required to make and the type of support you provide for decisions and judgements that
your supervisor is required to make. Also be sure to include the frequency of the
requirement to resolve the problems listed in the first section.

V ACCOUNTABILITY

This section provides information to measure the impact of the actions you are required
to take and the responsibility for, and magnitude of, the results of those actions. It
provides information on the guidelines and direction you receive in the course of your
work, either from your supervisor or from documented policies and procedures and
reference documents.

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VI JOB KNOWLEDGE

University master standards have been determined for this factor and each
position has been assigned a rating from within those master standards. It is the
responsibility of the supervisor and the Director, Human Resources to determine the
appropriate standard for positions. This section provides information on the minimum
required formal academic training and minimum required work experience expressed in
time.

VII SUPERVISION

University master standards have been determined for this factor and each
position has been assigned a rating from within those master standards. It is the
responsibility of the supervisor and the Director, Human Resources to determine the
appropriate standard for positions. This section provides information on the degree of
responsibility the position has for the supervision (formal and informal) and management
(directly and indirectly) of employees. It includes the nature of the supervision and the
types of jobs supervised. Students performing duties for the University for compensation
are considered employees.

VIII WORKING CONDITIONS

University master standards have been determined for this factor and each
position has been assigned a rating from within those master standards. It is the
responsibility of the supervisor and the Director, Human Resources to determine the
appropriate standard for positions. This section provides information to measure job
conditions that are considered unpleasant or hazardous and the frequency of exposure
to such conditions. It considers unpleasant work surroundings such as noise, dirt, and
exposure to the elements or potentially hazardous conditions associated with the job.
Only those job conditions that are present for a significant portion of time and are a
regular and integral part of the job are taken into consideration. It is important to
recognize that the conditions considered unpleasant are in relation to conditions found in
jobs outside of the University as well as those found within the scope of Brandon
University jobs.

NOTE: Any proposed changes to the standards that have been assigned to each position
should be brought through the supervisor. Determinations will be made by the
supervisor and the Director, Human Resources.

IX SUPERVISOR’S COMMENTS

A well-written job description questionnaire for a relatively standard type of job should
require no further comment. This section is intended to provide information that is not
readily captured in the document, especially for unusual jobs, to enhance understanding.
It is not intended to simply add emphasis.

Authorizations and Timelines

An employee and/or supervisor wishing to have a job evaluated will access the Job Description
Questionnaire form on the Brandon University web site. The employee and/or supervisor will
then draft the job description questionnaire by responding to the questions on the form.

Three of the areas on the Job Description Questionnaire have been standardized by the
University to ensure consistent expectations across the University. In the case of MGEU jobs,
these standards have been developed in conjunction with the Union. The standardized sections
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are Job Knowledge, Supervision and Working Conditions. It is expected that the vast majority
of jobs will conform to those standards.

Once the questionnaire has been completed, both the employee and the supervisor must agree
with the information on the questionnaire and signify so by signing the document. It should take
no longer than four (4) weeks to acquire all of the required signatures without a valid reason. If
the parties cannot agree, the matter should be referred to the Director, Human Resources and
the area head for resolution. If the parties still cannot agree within two (2) weeks, the University
shall make the determination. That decision is final to all parties. Disagreements that cannot be
resolved with the assistance of the Director, Human Resources, for Exempt positions, will be
referred to the Vice-President, Administration & Finance, for decision.

The questionnaire is then sent to the area head who, in most cases, will be the budget unit
head. Again, the document is reviewed in detail and, if agreeable to the area head, signed and
forwarded to the Director, Human Resources. If the area head feels that further revisions are
required, the document is sent back to the employee and supervisor with an explanation. In the
case of disagreements, the above-mentioned process is followed.

The Director, Human Resources, upon receipt of the questionnaire, date-stamps the document.
This is the date to which any resultant salary adjustments will be applied retroactively after the
job is evaluated. The Director then reviews the document in detail to ensure that the standards
have been applied, that the document is complete, and that the employee and the supervisor
and the area head have been fair and reasonable in describing the job requirements. If the
Director is satisfied, the document is signed and prepared for the Job Evaluation Committee.
Any concerns identified by the Director, Human Resources, will be referred to the area head
with a detailed explanation that, in turn, will be referred to the employee and supervisor.
Disagreements will be resolved in the above detailed manner.

Master Standards

Job Knowledge

1. Grade 12 + 3 years related experience, or comparable combination of education and

experience (basic reception, filing, keyboarding).

2. Grade 12, additional courses/training + 3 years related experience, or comparable

combination of education and experience (specify additional technical or job related
courses required), includes 1 year certificate program.

3. 2-3 year post secondary education/diploma program + 1 year related experience, or

comparable combination of education and experience (specify education or diploma
program required), includes library technician program (i.e. reference positions in
library).

4. 2-3 year post secondary education/diploma program + 3 years related experience, or

comparable combination of education and experience (specify education or diploma
program required).

5. 2-3 year post-secondary education/diploma program + 5 years related experience, or

comparable combination of education and experience, specify education or diploma
program required (applied to senior roles with supervisory/administrative
responsibilities).

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6. University degree + 1 year related experience, or comparable combination of education
and experience (specify specialty/major that is required for position).

7. University degree + 3 years related experience, or comparable combination of education

and experience (specify specialty/major that is required for position).

8. University degree + professional designation + 5 years related experience, or

comparable combination of education and experience (specify specialty/major and
designation required).

9. Graduate degree/designation + 7 years related experience, or comparable combination

of education and experience (specify specialty/major/designation required).

Supervision

1. No supervisory responsibilities integral to position, may provide guidance and training to

other employees.

2. Informal supervision through assignment and checking of work is integral to position.

3. Formal supervision of employees being responsible for assignment and review of work is
integral to position.

Working Conditions

A. Work Environment

1. Generally agreeable working conditions such as those found inside offices or equivalent
work areas for more than 70% of the time.

2. Slightly disagreeable working conditions, exposure to somewhat noisy, hot or cold

conditions for less than 20% of the time.

3. Slightly disagreeable working conditions, exposure to somewhat noisy, hot or cold

conditions for between 20% and 40% of the time.

4. Slightly disagreeable working conditions, exposure to somewhat noisy, hot or cold

conditions for between 41% and 70% of the time.

B. Physical Effort

1. Work requires minimum physical effort and strain in a variety of normal positions
(e.g. intermittent standing, sitting, walking, ordinary office tasks) for more than 70%
of the time.

2. Work requires light physical effort and extension (e.g. prolonged standing, sitting,
walking, climbing stairs, using light tools, handling light weight materials) for less
than 20% of the time.
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3. Work requires light physical effort and extension (e.g. prolonged standing, sitting,
walking, climbing stairs, using light tools, handling light weight materials) for 20% to
40% of the time.

4. Work requires light physical effort and extension (e.g. prolonged standing, sitting,
walking, climbing stairs, using light tools, handling light weight materials) for more
than 70% of the time.

C. Visual Strain

1. Normal visual concentration required for more than 70% of the time.

2. Moderate visual concentration required. Required to concentrate on small areas or

objects for short periods of time (i.e. up to one hour) for less than 20% of the time.

3. Moderate visual concentration required. Required to concentrate on small areas or

objects for short periods of time (i.e. up to one hour) for between 20% and 40% of the
time.

4. Moderate visual concentration required. Required to concentrate on small areas or

objects for short periods of time (i.e. up to one hour) for between 41% and 70% of the
time.

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Writing the Job Description*

This process is best done in three progressive stages. First, use your discretion on format and
content to develop a fairly structured outline of just what key information should be included in
the job description questionnaire. Discuss the information with your supervisor to ensure that all
of the relevant information is included.

Second, develop the outline by referring to your raw materials: the notes, comments and
general data you've compiled. These should fill out the job description with the important
information.

In the third stage, you fill in some gaps, but mostly you insert key words and polish phrases and
sentences so you get an action-oriented, objective job description that reflects the distinct flavor
of the job.

Once you've completed the first draft, put it aside for a couple of days. Come back to it with a
fresh perspective, and you'll see things you didn't notice the first time around. Continue your
editing process. Keep cutting. Discuss the draft with your supervisor to ensure that nothing has
been missed and that the duties and responsibilities are expressed in a way that reflects the
requirements of the unit and the University. A good test is to ask whether, if you left, the job
requirements would be the same for the new recruit.

Getting Down to Basics

No matter what your expertise in writing job descriptions, there are a few basic rules to keep in
mind at all times.

1. A good job description takes time to prepare and write. While the process may look
painful, it's not. But to do a correct job, it takes time. Even if you think you have all the raw
material that you'll need in front of you, you'll still run into problems if you rush the process.
So, if you're working on deadlines, make sure they're attainable. Give yourself and your
supervisor plenty of time to alter words, make corrections, and delete and add material.

2. You're writing a job description, not a recruitment advertisement. This means you
shouldn't fall into the trap of writing copy that makes the job sound "exciting, challenging and
a real opportunity for a self-starter." Go into the specifics of the job itself in an impersonal,
quantitative, objective manner.

3. A good job description format makes organizing the information fairly simple. The
"Duties and Responsibilities" section presents more of an organizational task. If the duties
are numerous and complex (and for most jobs they are), you'll want to decide ahead of time
how to organize them. Here are some of the available alternatives.

• The "sequence of operations" approach. One of the simplest ways to organize job
information is to follow the sequence in which the job activities are carried out (if there is
such a sequence). This approach is best suited to jobs where tasks tend to be more
repetitive and are usually performed in a particular sequence over and over again.

• The "major duty" approach. Many jobs, particularly those of a supervisory or

administrative nature, have no daily sequence of duties. In this case, the information

*
Adapted from "The Complete Portfolio of Prewritten Job Descriptions" by Richard H. Wolff. Asher-Gallant Press,
Brentwood, New York and "How to Write Job Descriptions -- the Easy Way" by Bureau of Law & Business, Inc.
Madison, CT
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can be organized into major job segments or duties, with specific duties outlined below
each of these broader headings.

• The "relative importance" approach. This approach organizes information about job
duties and responsibilities on the basis of their relative importance (as judged by the
incumbent and the supervisor). A variation on this idea would be to arrange the duties in
order of the amount of time spent on them.

These are only a few of the organizational frameworks that you can follow. The most
appropriate choice depends to a large extent upon the job analysis method used and on the
nature of the job in question.

4. Use language that communicates clearly, concisely, and completely, so the

individuals involved don't have to be job experts in order to comprehend what the job
entails. Keep in mind that the job description questionnaire is going to be handled and read
by a lot of people on the job evaluation committee who may not be familiar with your
particular job. That's why it's up to you to melt away the technical jargon and substitute
crisp, comprehensible material.

5. Be tight with your editing. Avoid long, flowing prosaic pages of narrative that confuse the
issues and make the task of reading and understanding a job description that much more
difficult. Use numbers or bullets when possible to highlight and segment each area or
responsibility. Make brevity a priority.

6. Choose your words with care. You should ensure that the words used in the text are
specific in scope and action-oriented. Because you want your job description to be succinct
and precise, it's essential that you choose your words judiciously.

The following checklist contains a number of suggestions and guidelines for working with
words in job descriptions. You'll find more help in the glossary at the end of this Appendix.

• Always use the simpler word rather than the complicated one. It will cut verbiage,
shorten your description, and enhance understanding. Anyone at the University should
be able to pick up a job description and come away with concise knowledge of what the
job entails.

• When you edit, make a conscious effort to replace long words with shorter ones. One
danger in multi-syllabic words is their multiple meanings. You're not trying to impress,
but to communicate. Make that your number one priority.

• Do the same with phrases. Remove the deadwood, those long expressions that a
single word can replace, and those single words that just aren't needed. “Involves the
use of” becomes “uses”, “for the purpose of” is shortened to “for”, “it is evident that”
turns into “evidently”.

• Economize whenever possible. Drop out articles (a, the, an) and other shorter words
when the intent or subject is understood. You might not need "their" if it's a given, and
repeating "must" or the preposition "to" in certain circumstances can be dropped.

• Adjectives almost never make the last rewrite. If they aren't specifically necessary, cut
them.

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• Stay alert for grammatical clutter. For example, “handles distributing of reports” can
easily become “handles report distribution” or, better yet, “distributes reports”. That's
the kind of surgical analysis you need to apply to your words, phrases and sentences.

• Clarify vague or imprecise words, even when they sound right. “Situation”,
“circumstance” and “facilitate” just don't paint a clear enough picture. Explain them or
define them or even choose a stronger action word from those in the Glossary at the
end of this Appendix.

• Start as many phrases as you can with an active verb. Use the present tense, and
ordinarily stick with the third person to emphasize objectivity.

• If at all possible, use words that have only one connotation, one interpretation. Again,
clarity is a major goal. And use words that specifically spell out the way you want the
work accomplished. See words in the Glossary at the end of this Appendix.

• When possible, also specify terms like “may” and “occasionally”. To avoid confusion or
misunderstanding, assign a number or percentage to them. “Daily”, “weekly”, “monthly”
are preferable because they are more precise than often or periodic. And use
quantitative terms to indicate frequency or degree such as “travel seven days per
month”.

• Beware of generalizations. Indicating that a Manager "offers direction and guidance to

subordinates" is too open-ended. What kind of direction? To whom? How is it offered?
A better statement would be, "Conducts regular meetings on a _________ basis with
departmental staff to review and discuss activities in ___________ and ____________
areas, as well as future goals and objectives."

• While you're keeping a tight rein on wordiness, do the same for sentences. Tight
structure. Spare in length. Compact at all times. Use parentheses to indicate
qualifying numbers or comments, and even to insert explanatory details.

• Refer to job titles rather than people. For example, "Reports to Director of Personnel"
instead of "Reports to Elliott Simpson."

• Stress what you do instead of attempting to explain the procedure that must be used.
For example: (Secretary) "Records appointments" rather than "A record of appointments
must be maintained."

• Watch your ego. The aim in the job description is to describe job duties
comprehensibly. Being succinct and using job-specific terminology doesn't leave a lot of
room for the writer's personality to shine through. It shouldn't.

Glossary of Job Description Terms

Another key to creating successful job descriptions is the ability to use the right word at the right
time. This means having strong action terms at your fingertips for consistency and accuracy.
This glossary is designed to give you these advantages.

Accountable Responsible for an action, goal or result.

Act To exert one's powers in such a way as to generate a result; to carry out
a plan or project (see Execute, Perform).

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Adaptable Can perform a variety of tasks, change assignments on short notice,
achieve results in different areas simultaneously.

Administer To manage or direct the application, execution or conduct of; to

administrate (see Control).

Adopt To take and apply or put into practice; to accept as a proposal.

Advise To offer advice and opinions; to recommend a course of action or

strategy.

Affirm To confirm.

Amend To change or modify.

Analyze To study the factors or circumstances of a situation or problem in order to

determine the solution; to study various unrelated facts, fit them together,
and arrive at a conclusion (see Appraise).

Anticipate To foresee events, trends, consequences or problems to prepare in

advance for future occurrences.

Apply To put into practical use; to employ.

Appraise To evaluate as to quality, status, effectiveness; to analyze.

Approve To officially sanction; to accept as complete or satisfactory; to ratify,

assuming responsibility for; used in situations where individuals have
ultimate authority.

Arrange To place in deliberate order; to set up, as an event.

Ascertain To find out or learn with certainty.

Assemble To pull or gather together in a distinct order; to collect in a set pattern; to

fit together the parts or pieces.

Assign To delegate specific duties or tasks to others to perform.

Assist To lend aid or give support for a job or undertaking; to help.

Assume To undertake; to take it upon oneself to fulfill a responsibility or

assignment.

Assure To confirm; to make certain of; to declare with confidence; to guarantee.

Attend To be present for the purpose of contributing.

Audit To examine in depth; to look into a situation or problem and report the
findings (see Analyze).

Authority The power to act, command, influence.

Authorize To empower; to permit; to establish by authority.

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Balance To arrange so the sum of one group equals the sum of another; to play off
one option against another.

Batch To group into a quantity for one operation.

Calculate To make computations; to apply mathematics; to decide logically.

Chart To draw or exhibit in graphic form.

Check To examine; to compare for verification; to make certain of an outcome; to

monitor.

Circulate To disseminate; to distribute in accordance with a plan.

Classify To separate into groups; to systematically arrange.

Clear To obtain the opinion or agreement of others prior to acceptance or

conclusion.

Collaborate To work or act jointly with others.

Collect To gather facts or data; to assemble; to accumulate.

Communicate Write and read written material with a high degree of accuracy and
comprehension; good oral skills.

Compile To collect into one source; to compose out of materials from diverse
resources.

Compose To arrange in proper order; to command the efforts of others so as to

produce desired outcome.

Consolidate To combine into a whole; to bring together in one place.

Consult To seek the advice of others; to confer; to exchange viewpoints, facts,

opinions (see Discuss).

Control To exercise authority; to have power over.

Cooperate To act or operate jointly with others; to collaborate.

Coordinate To bring things together for common actions or conditions to exist; to

make things run smoothly together.

Correct To rectify; to make right.

Correlate To establish a mutual or reciprocal relationship.

Customer Service Helpful and responsive to customer; displays patience and consideration;
never curt or disrespectful; promotes image of company at every
opportunity.

Decide To choose from among alternatives or possibilities; to take a course of

action.

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Decision-maker Identifies problems, obtains pertinent information, develops and analyzes
alternative courses of action; utilizes logical assumptions and all available
information resources to make timely moves and enact necessary
strategies.

Delegate To entrust responsibility for action to the care or management of another.

Delegation Assignment to another of the responsibility and authority to accomplish an

objective or achieve a goal.

Design To conceive and plan a specific condition; to create or execute; to

construct according to a plan.

Detail-oriented Accomplishes a task thoroughly; pays attention to all aspects, no matter

how small.

Determine To fix conclusively or authoritatively; to decide; to make a decision; to find

out.

Develop To evolve; to make available; to make more usable.

Devise To develop something, especially by combining known ideas or

principles.

Direct To regulate the activities or course of; to govern or control; to guide or

command.

Discover To find out something not known before as a result of exploring or

investigating (see Research).

Discuss To exchange views for the purpose of arriving at a conclusion or

expressing a convincing argument.

Disseminate To spread out information or ideas.

Distribute To pass around; to allocate; to deliver to specific places or persons.

Draft To write or compose papers or documents usually in preliminary form

prior to final form; often for clearance, revision or approval by others.

Edit To revise and prepare written material, usually for publication.

Energy Maintains a high level of activity.

Establish To set up; to illustrate; to develop for use.

Evaluate To appraise; to ascertain the value of; to judge.

Examine To investigate; to scrutinize; to subject to inquiry by inspection or test (see

Discover).

Execute To act on; to follow through to the end; to complete.

Exercise To bring to bear or employ actively, as in exercising authority faster.

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Facilitate To make easy or less difficult.

File To arrange papers, materials, etc., in some methodical manner.

Flag To mark distinctively, as in flagging a discrepancy.

Flexible Able to change course when necessary, modify plans and behaviour to
meet new goals (see Adaptable).

Follow-up To monitor the progress of; to see if results are satisfactory.

Forceful Commands attention and respect; shows an air of confidence.

Formulate To establish a system; to develop or devise a plan, policy or procedure.

Furnish To provide, supply or give.

Goal An objective; a result to be achieved.

Guidance Conduct or direct others along a course of action; offering assistance.

Image Displays professional appearance and conduct; makes a good impression

on individuals inside and outside the University.

Implement To carry out; to perform acts essential to the execution of a plan, project
or program.

Independence Takes action based on professional experience and individual initiative;

doesn't rely solely on the opinions or directions of others.

Inform To instruct; to communicate knowledge.

Initiate To originate; to begin; to introduce a plan, policy or procedure for the first
time.

Initiative Actively tries to influence people and events to achieve goals; self-starter;
works well without supervision; targets goals beyond minimal level of
performance.

Inspect To examine carefully and critically; to review for conformance to

specifications.

Instruct To impart knowledge; to supply direction, give information (see Train).

Instructions Directions, information; methods for operating.

Integrity Committed to traditional standards of ethics and conduct; obeys

organizational policies in job-related activities; strong sense of personal
and professional ethics.

Interpersonal Relations Works toward maintaining strong relationships with others; uses tact;
sensitive to feelings and needs of colleagues and subordinates.

Interpret To explain the meaning of; to elucidate; to clarify.

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Interview To question in order to obtain facts or opinions.

Inventory A count or list of items; stock.

Investigate To inquire into systematically.

Issue To distribute systematically.

Job Specifications Description of physical characteristics, knowledge, skill, experience, and

education requirements of a person who would be suited to perform a
specific job.

Judgment Makes decisions and formulates strategies based on pertinent information

and logical conclusions; develops alternate courses of action; takes steps
after considering facts and opinions.

Leadership Guides subordinates in reaching goals; displays characteristics that instill

confidence; uses appropriate methods to encourage wishes and duties to
be carried out.

Learning Capacity Ability and desire to quickly learn new job-related material and expand
personal and professional horizons.

Maintain To hold or keep in a certain condition; to keep up-to-date or current, as

records or machinery.

Management Planning Establishes strategies for action for self and others; allocates resources
and assigns personnel to achieve set goals and objectives.

Measure To find the quantity or amount of; to ascertain dimension, number, etc.

Merge To combine; to bring together.

Monitor To observe or check periodically; to maintain close watch on (see Follow-

up).

Motivation Takes personal satisfaction in superior performance and accomplishment;

self-starter; pushes self to strive to achieve full utilization of abilities (see
Leadership).

Negotiate To exchange views and opinions in order to reach agreement; discussing

pros and cons of proposals.

Notify To give notice; to inform.

Objective A desired result; a goal or standard of achievement.

Observe To perceive or notice, watch; to monitor.

Obtain To gain possession of; to acquire.

Operate To conduct or perform an activity.

Organization Individuals working together in related ways within a specific structure to

a common end.
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Organizational Familiar with the organization; keeps aware of changing situation to

Awareness anticipate internal problems and opportunities; understands how activities
and decisions will affect other parts of the organization and responds
accordingly.

Organize To arrange interdependent parts; to systematize.

Organized Develops a manner of managing or working that is systematic and logical;

creates a step-by-step structure for personal and corporate activities (see
Detail-oriented).

Outline To make a summary of the important features.

Participate To take part in.

Perform To carry out; to accomplish; to execute.

Persuasiveness Uses appropriate methods and styles of communication to gain

acceptance of an idea, plan, activity or product; leads others to adopt
his/her opinion.

Physical Capability Able to physically perform specific required duties.

Plan To devise a project, method or course of action.

Policy A definite course of action selected from among alternatives to guide and
circumscribe present and future decisions and activities.

Position description A description of the purpose, scope, duties, responsibilities, authorities,

and working relationships associated with a position or job.

Prepare To make ready for a particular purpose.

Principle A governing law of conduct; a fundamental tenet serving as a responsible

guide to action; a basis for policy.

Procedure A specific method for accomplishing a set of actions; a series of steps

followed in a regular, definite order; a standardized practice.

Process To subject to some special treatment; to handle in accordance with

prescribed procedures.

Program A series of steps planned toward an objective; a system.

Propose To offer for consideration or adoption.

Provide To supply for use; to furnish.

Purchase To buy or procure.

Receive To take something that is offered, to accept.

Recommend To advise a course of action; to counsel on strategy.

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Record To register; to make a record of.

Render To furnish, contribute.

Report A presentation of organized information; compilation of results;

presentation of recommendations or fact.

Represent To take the place of; to substitute for.

Require Demand that something be accomplished.

Requisition Make a request for something.

Research Inquiry into a specific subject; to review sources.

Resilience Takes adversity well and bounces back; counter-attacks with new
strategies and tactics when faced with roadblocks to desired results.

Responsibility Accountable for decision, action, results, as in:

• Complete responsibility - individual has complete authority to take

whatever action is advisable or necessary; subject to policies or
general rules.
• Delegated responsibility - individual has the authority to take action
based on authority of supervisor. May initiate and carry out actions,
but is required to advise superiors of the action taken.
• General responsibility - individual is required to gain approval of
supervisor before proceeding with the action.

Review To go over or examine critically; analyze results for the purpose of giving
an opinion.

Revise To make a new, improved or up-to-date version of.

Routine Part of a regular procedure, course, or normal course of business or

official duties (non-routine-irregular or infrequent situations that arise).

Safety Observes company safety standards; helps maintain safe conditions for
all members of the organization.

Salesmanship Develops plans to accomplish specific sales goals; uses time efficiently
and is personally well organized so as to achieve highest possible sales
results; gets others to come over to his/her way of thinking.

Scan To examine point by point; review (see Observe).

Schedule To plan a timetable; to set specific times for.

Screen To examine closely so as to separate one item, group or class from

another.

Search To look over or through for the purpose of finding something (see
Discover).

Secure To gain possession of; to obtain.

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Select To choose from a number of similar objects, items, proposals, etc.

Selling Can effectively use appropriate communication methods to gain

agreement and acceptance both inside and outside the University.

Stimulate To excite, rouse, or spur on.

Stress tolerance Maintains stability under pressure or opposition; doesn't bring office
problems home or vice versa.

Study To consider attentively; to review closely.

Submit To present for decision; to offer information for judgement by others.

Subordinate Uses available training and development resources to improve

Development subordinates' skills and abilities; helps subordinates qualify for expanded
job opportunities; contributes to creation of work force with superior skills.

Supervise To oversee; to guide with directions; to inspect with authority; to instruct

with immediate responsibility for purpose of performance; to superintend;
to lead. Types of supervision include:

• Direct - involves guidance and direction over individuals who report to

and are directly responsible to the supervisor.
• Close - individual does not use own initiative, but is instructed by
supervisor as to selection of proper procedures to follow.
• Limited - individual proceeds on own initiative in compliance with
policies, practices, and procedures set out by immediate supervisor.
• General - involves guidance and direction from supervisor.
• Training - involves advice, information and guidance on specialized
matters, instruction in regard to procedures.

Survey To determine the form, extent, or position of a situation, usually in

connection with gathering information.

Task organization Can establish priorities and a course of action for handling multiple
assignments; arranges in advance for appropriate resources, equipment
and supplies to be available.

Technical prowess In-depth knowledge of technical aspects of job; ability to perform

necessary equipment service for specific problem; working knowledge of
how to handle certain machinery (e.g., computers).

Train To increase skill or knowledge by capable instruction.

Typing Types a minimum of ______ words per minutes. Familiar with, or can
learn, __________ word processing equipment.

Verbal (external) Effectively describes and explains products and services for customers;
communicates clearly to all segments of target audiences.

Verbal (internal) Effectively expresses ideas and concepts when talking with individuals
and groups inside the University.

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Verbal (presentation) Effectively prepares formal presentations of ideas and proposals; clearly
expresses same to groups and individuals.

Verbal (understanding) Extracts pertinent information through verbal contacts with others.

Verify To prove to be true or accurate; to confirm or substantiate; to test or

check the accuracy of.

Work standards Sets high personal standards of performance; not satisfied with average
(personal) or traditional results.

Work standards Completes work to specified requirements, using accepted procedures;

(general) strives for best job results possible.

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